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This mini course teaches you how to start seeds indoors. Beginning with terms to know, you will journey through lessons about best plants to start early, correct lighting, soil amendments, seedling care, transplanting outdoors, and so much more! If you are looking to start tomatoes, herbs, peppers, or any other vegetables early and want to know how to do this successfully, this course is for you! In addition to the topics mentioned above, we also cover what NOT to start indoors, how to create a schedule that aligns with your growing season, and understanding the importance of correct timing with the aim of growing strong healthy seedlings for your garden.

Potting up - This refers to the task of transplanting your seedlings into larger containers before you plant them into your garden. When we are potting up, we are looking for well formed root balls and/or species specific number of true leaves. We also need to ensure we are leaving enough time for the plant to "recover" and grow in its new container. This usually takes 7 - 10 days. It is important to give each seedling at least 21 days between potting up/transplanting. True Leaves - These are the first set of leaves a plant puts out that actually look like the mature leaves of that variety. You will notice, the first set of leaves doesn't look anything like the "true leaves" . In the picture here, you can see the first set of leaves for this parsley, look nothing like a parsley leaf. Set Out/Transplant - These terms are interchangeable and they both refer to planting your seedlings out to the garden. Hardening Off - The time period when you slowly introduce your seedlings to the elements. This process takes about 10 - 14 days. We start by placing them outdoors for a couple of hours in a protected area, on a nice day. Each day we increase this a little until your seedlings are acclimated to the elements. This process reduces loss after setting out or transplanting by getting your seedlings ready for there forever home. Growing Medium - A combination of soils, composts, and other amendments mixed together to create a "soil" for your seedlings to grow in. This recipe is meant to be packed with good food to get your plants off to a robust start.

The best place to start! This section touches on the steps you need to take to ensure healthy seedlings for your garden. We also cover what you should and should not start indoors for best results. You might be surprised who makes it on these lists!

Understanding your plants needs help to determine when you will start them indoors. This section gives you a break down on how to create your own planting schedule in alignment with your plants needs and the environmental factors of your region such as frost.

That glorious moment when we finally get to put our plants into the garden! This section covers everything you need to know to ensure a smooth transition to the garden.

In this mini course we are going to dive right into creating an edible garden that meets your needs and provides a space for you find calm, nourishment, and satisfaction! Through this course, we will look at various aspects of vegetable garden planning so that you can gain the tools and knowledge to create your best garden for years to come. You expect to learn about soil health, grow zone identification, garden styles, 4+ year crop rotation, plant families and why they are so important to understand, ally and companion planting to enhance your space, plus more. While we do not have live workshops or 1:1 calls in this course, I do want you to feel free to reach out to me if you have any burning questions that do not get addressed through your curriulumn. Email is the best way to get a hold of me. You can reach me at hannamatchbox@gmail.com. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy all the information I have in store for you. Have fun, get creative, and enjoy your time in this course! Your Farmer, Hanna P.S. I love seeing your progress once your season starts! Please feel free to join our private Facebook Group here Growing Your Organic Garden Oasis You can ask questions, and share your experiences on your growing journey!

As the old adage goes, "Your house is only as strong as it's foundation." This could not be more true when we look at the garden. Healthy plants and high yields are only possible when we have healthy, highly diverse soil. The first steps in getting there are shared in this program. We begin with learning about hardiness zones and knowing your soil!

What are your main reasons for growing a food garden?

You can use this calculator to help you determine when to plant spring crops in your area.

Congratulations on completing this mini course! I hope it was both informative and inspiring for you. Once you have created your crop plan using the crop rotation method, you should have a basic garden layout and plan for at least 3 years. As you get more comfortable with these techniques you will be able to use them to expand your growing space. You can transfer these skills to anywhere you garden, even if that means growing in a smaller space. Happy gardening and I wish you a bountiful season! If you would like to learn more about all the things you can do in your garden space, check out some of the other courses available here at Matchbox Garden. Here's to good food!